Movie #31

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift





OK, I went to see Justin Lin’s Gay-for-Pay Hollywood film on its opening weekend. I’d like to think that there was some sort of racial subplot that was completely lost on the cutting-room floor. I suspect that there was, there are snippets of themes that are completely lost later. Let’s face it, Lin didn’t have a lot of control over the final product; at least I hope he didn’t.

It wasn’t all bad. A lot of the scenes are really exhilarating, especially the big car chase through crowded downtown Tokyo. Sung Kang has a really big part, and even though it’s pretty lame, it was just nice to see him have a really big part in a Hollywood film. The setting was great, of course… The critique of how this movie compares to actual life in Tokyo is Sandy’s job, however.

As a feminist, I was bothered by the role of women in this movie. It basically took the booty-shaking girl in hip-hop videos to the extreme (even though none of the girls had any booty to speak of). I learned that the skirts I wear are nowhere as short as they should be. I mean, EVERY girl in the movie looked like she got her outfit at Bai Ling’s rummage sale. I swear I saw one girl’s pubis symphysis. Yeah, the male roles were pretty much just as vapid and empty… but no, not really. This portrayal of women lately is a real problem, I’m serious about that. It almost makes me want to drop the Asian-American film baton and pick up the Feminist film baton.

As for the dudes… Some of these guys were pretty smokin’…. No, I’m not talking about the ostensible lead of the movie, Mr. Whitey Snaggletooth. The film does a good job of sexualizing Asian men… but anyone who watches Hong Kong or Japanese film will not be surprised that this is possible. Anyway, the highlight of the film was when my friend Ryan leaned over and whispered, “The second one was better.” Yes, he’s seen all three installments of The Fast and The Furious. Oh, and I got to see the Miami Vice trailer again, which I’m not ashamed to admit looks like the highlight of Hollywood Summer for me.